Solar Panels for Solar Savings

I was surprised upon receiving our electric bill the other day. I heard from the news that it will go up this month but I didn’t expect it to be that high. Based on a leaflet that is included in our electric bill, it increased by P0.71 ($0.17) per kilowatt hour. Almost 76% of the increase is for the generation charge. The rest is for transmission, taxes, subsidy and system loss. According to the electric company, the generation charge is for the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and National Power Corporation (NPC).

The Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) is the country’s spot market for the trading of electricity as a commodity. The National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) is the principal power provider in Metropolitan Manila Area while the Independent Power Producers (IPPs), are the ones generating electric power for sale to utilities and end users. Understanding the roles of these companies, the electric bill components and the existing regulatory framework of the country’s power industry gives me headache. Though an ordinary citizen like me cannot understand deeper the complicated framework, one thing is for sure…our electric bill is soaring high. Now I understand why my husband wants to resort to solar panels. According to him it is the best solution in this time that the economy is at an extraordinary fragile point. So what are solar panels?

Solar panels are devices that take the light of the sun and convert it into energy. They are usually placed on the roof of the house or building and are used to generate electricity to power appliances. It is best suitable for homes most especially in a tropical country like ours where the sun, a free and clean source of energy, is shining all day. Use of solar panels can help protect the environment by reducing the need to burn fossil fuels. And because solar panels use solar energy which is a natural form of energy, they don’t give off pollution while generating electricity thus we can keep our environment in good shape. The sun may not show up on cloudy or stormy days but you don’t need to worry as it will show up the very next day, making it a consistent power source for the solar panels.

Solar panels are available in different sizes so the price varies widely. If there is one disadvantage in solar panels, it is when you buy it the first time. However, the initial cost is a small price to pay compared to the savings you could make over the years. Yes, years! It is because solar panels can last a lifetime. Hubby makes sense. We need solar panels for solar savings plus we don’t need to brainstorm understanding the electric bill components and the existing regulatory framework of the country’s power industry.

i see many houses here which have solar panels. I think it’s more practical since the main source of energy here is electricity. And even if you avail expensive solar panels, there is the return of investment over time.

I agree with you with potentially using and installing solar panels on your home. We’ve actually thought about it too but we were told that it may cost us a lot. Of course, the investment will return.. it’s just a matter of saving up for a few panels. I am for renewable energy since it’s something that we can utilize always. 🙂

What company sells solar panels in the Philippines? A friend’s husband was experimenting on solar panels about 10 years ago. We really should get cracking with these things. They’re good investment. How pricey? Here’s hoping we can afford enough to power one mid-size household. Will keep this in mind.

Yes, it could be one of best options we have today… Although I’ve heard that it is quite expensive, our inventors, scientists, government agencies etc. should work hand on hand to develop low cost solar panel materials and offer them to public.

I have thought about them as well. I know that sometimes the you can get a federal rebate depending on the year you do it and if they have a program available. I have known a few people to take advantage of this and by the time they get the rebate and the savings the solar panels really paid off! I know a lot of people don’t like the way they look but it does not bother me at all. I will be reading to see if and when you do it and how they pay off for you!

I never bother trying to understand the components of our electric bill because I don’t want to go nuts. 😀 Yes, solar panels are a great alternative source of energy. The only problem with them is that they are quite expensive.

if only these solar panels were a lot cheaper, sana lahat tayo mag lagay na sa house. it’s hard when we only have one source of electricity. the electric co. tends to monopolize the service. even the government agency (napocor) can’t do anything about it.

I hear you. When I first saw solar panels being used in the hotel we stayed in Subic in 2007, I thought it was about time that people actually look into using that to replace our usual power supplier. But since we don’t really have access to a reliable solar panel supplier, the plan never materialized.